Method and a blank for the production of horseshoes

ABSTRACT

A method and a blank for the production of horseshoes. The blank being made from a plane of plate the length and width of which are many times larger than its thickness and which is composed of at least two part-plates of differently hard materials which are joined to each other by explosion welding, the harder material forming an external lamina and the softer material an internal lamina in the finished, substantially U-shaped shoe.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

In a first aspect, the present invention relates to a method for theproduction of horseshoes from an initial blank in the form of a planeplate the length and width of which are many times larger than itsthickness and which is composed of at least two part-plates ofdifferently hard materials which are joined to each other by explosionwelding, the harder material forming an external lamina and the softermaterial an internal lamina in the finished, substantially U-shapedshoe.

PRIOR ART

From SE 8603894-0 it is previously known to produce horseshoes from aninitial blank composed of two part bodies of different metals which areintimately joined to each other by explosion welding. According to anembodiment described in said patent, these part bodies consist of twotubes which are concentrically arranged in each other. According toanother embodiment, the part bodies consist of metal plates whichtogether form a plate body that is bent to a groove or tube shape,before the production of the individual horseshoes is initiated. In bothcases, this production is effected by cutting or sawing the groove- ortube-shaped blank in transverse cuts, whose internal axial distancescorrespond to the desired thickness of the horseshoe. Advantageously,metals used for the composite unit may be steel and aluminum, the steelforming an external, thin and hard lamina with good wear resistance andgood gripping properties, while the internally located aluminum materialforms a wider and softer lamina which confers a low weight to the shoein its entirety by the small density of the material. Thus, theadvantages of the ready shoe are that it has both a low total weight anda long life, at the same time as the joint effected by explosion weldingbetween the two different laminae gives a very reliable connection ofthe laminae, thereby avoiding any risk of a delamination.

However, a serious disadvantage of the manufacturing method described inSE 8603894-0 is that the individual shoes are produced by a section-wiseseparation of the end portions of a groove- or tube-shaped blank, whosecross-sectional shape substantially corresponds to the contour form ofthe prospective shoe. For most farriers, e.g. those being active attrotting and riding stables, there is a necessity of being able to shoehorses with most varying hoof sizes. Thus, in practice no less thanabout twenty different shoe sizes exist, all the way from shoes for thesmallest breeds to shoes for the biggest breeds, the largest shoe being4 to 5 times larger than the smallest one (a pony shoe may have a bowlength from end to end smaller than 15 cm, while the corresponding bowlength of the largest shoe may amount to a size of 50 cm). Theconsumption of different shoes for both one and the same, and fordifferent farriers, may vary quite considerably over time. Periodically,shoes of a certain size may be produced in large amounts, while at thesame time other sizes are not at all requested, or only to a smalldegree. During other periods the circumstances may be reversed. Thesefluctuations, which are impossible to predict for the farrier, causestorage problems that are difficult to master, irrespective of whetherthe groove or tube blank is immediately divided into a maximum number ofshoes (e.g., 50 to 100 shoes per blank) or is stored in order to enablea separation of shoes one by one, as need emerges. In order to satisfythe requirements of different farriers, one has to store about twentydifferent types of voluminous blanks and/or sets of shoes, this beingboth costly and bulky. A further disadvantage of especially thegroove-shaped blank, is that it requires rather strong and thusexpensive bending machines. Moreover, both longer and shorter transportsof groove-shaped and tube-shaped blanks from a central producer togeographically scattered buyers are rather costly because of the factthat the major part of the volume of the blanks consists of an emptycavity.

OBJECTS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE INVENTION

In a first aspect, the present invention aims at setting aside the abovementioned disadvantages of the previously known method and at providinga manufacturing method that makes possible an effectual storage of therequired blanks, as well as effectual transports thereof. Thus, aprimary object of the invention is to create possibilities of storingand transporting horseshoe blanks tightly to each other without anybulky cavities in connection with the same. A further object is toprovide a manufacturing method according to which one and the same blankcan be used for the production of shoes of most varying bow lengths.Another object of the invention is to provide a method which does notnecessitate any strong and thus costly bending machines.

According to the invention, at least the primary object is attained bythe features defined in the characterizing clause of claim 1. Further,preferred embodiments of the method according to the invention aredefined in dependent claims 2 to 3.

According to a second aspect, the invention also relates to a blank perse. The features of this new blank are defined in claim 4.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE APPENDED DRAWINGS

In the drawings

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating two part-plates intended tojointly form an initial blank,

FIG. 2 is a similar perspective view showing the initial blank in acomposite condition, at the same time as an intermediate blank has beenseparated therefrom,

FIG. 3 is a partial side-view of the initial blank and a section of theintermediate blank in a very enlarged scale,

FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view showing the intermediate blankaccording to FIG. 2 during the separation of a final blank,

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of a final blank that has beenprovided with a groove,

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a finished horseshoe, showing theunderside thereof, and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-section through the finished horseshoe.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 depicts two part-plates 1,2 intended to be joined to each otherto form an initial blank. Advantageously, the plates have equally largesurfaces, while differing in thickness. In practice, the plates may havea length of for instance 1,5 m and a width within the range of 1,0 to1,5 m, although these measures may vary both upwardly and downwardly.Advantageously, the thinner plate 1 may be made of steel or anotherrelatively hard and wear-resistant metal, while the thicker plate 2preferrably consists of aluminum, although also other light metals arefeasible. Even if the thicknesses of the two plates may vary within wideranges, the steel plate 1 suitably has a thickness within the range of 2to 5, preferrably 3 to 4 mm, while the thickness of the aluminum plate 2may be within the range of 7 to 20, preferrably 10 to 15 mm. Asindicated to the left in FIG. 3, the plates 1,2 may be joined byexplosion welding in a way known per se, thereby effecting an intimateconnection of the same in the area of an interface designated 3.However, it should be emphasized that an intimate connection between theplates may also be brought about in other ways than just by explosionwelding, e.g., by gluing, other welding, such as sound welding, etc. Itis even thinkable to use a joining technique in the future, which wasstill not known at the time the invention was made. Essential is onlythat the two part-plates 1,2 be joined so intimately with each otherthat they do not run the risk of delaminating in the finished horseshoe.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 4 designates the plane plate that is formedby the joining of the two part-plates 1,2. This plane plate forms aninitial blank for the continued manufacturing.

According to the invention, the plane initial plate 4 is, in a firststep, divided into a plurality of separate, elongated intermediateblanks 5 of which one is shown in FIG. 2. The parting-off of theseintermediate blanks 5 is most advantageously made along a longitudinalside of the initial plate in case this plate has a rectangular form,whereby the intermediate blank obtains the largest possible length. Forthis parting-off, any known or arbitrary technique may be used, such assawing with a circular saw blade, cutting by laser, cutting by water jetor similar. The parting-off is made in cuts which are perpendicularrelative to the plane of initial plate 4, whereby the separatedintermediate blank obtains a substantially parallelepipedical basicshape. The width of this parallelepipedical body corresponds to thethickness of the initial plate 4, while the thickness of the body isselected in such a way that it is always smaller than the blank width.The selection of thickness is made by locating the cuts between theindividual intermediate blanks 5 at suitable distances from each other.For the sake of completeness, it is pointed out than plate 4 is dividedinto separate intermediate blanks 5 in its entirety, suitably inidentically similar blanks.

Now reference is made to FIG. 4 which in an enlarged condition shows anintermediate blank 5 from which, in a second step, a final blankdesignated 6 has been parted off. In this final blank 6, referencenumeral 7 designates an external lamina consisting of the steelmaterial, while 8 designates an internal lamina of aluminum. At theparting-off from the straight intermediate blank 5, the final blank 6 isgiven a length corresponding to the bow length from end to end of thefinished shoe. In connection with the parting-off of the final blank 6from the intermediate blank 5, the final blank is suitably alsosubmitted to a punching operation which confers rounded ends 9,10 to theblank.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a grip-enhancinggroove 11 of the sort illustrated in FIG. 5 is milled in the finalblank. More specifically, the groove 11 is milled out in the internal,softer lamina 8 in the immediate proximity of interface 3 between thetwo laminae. That side of final blank 6 in which the groove is milledout, forms the underside of the finished shoe. In practice, the groovemay be V-shaped cross-sectionally, although also other cross-sectionalforms are feasible, such as circular. For special shoes it is possibleto give the groove 11 a length that is smaller than the total length ofthe final blank 6, the groove being terminated at a distance from thetwo opposed ends of the final blank, thus leaving plane lower surfacesin the area of these ends. In the plane surfaces thus obtained one maydrill threaded holes for fastening grip-enhancing taps or spikes of thetype that is conventionally used on winter-shoed horses.

In a terminating third step, the final blank 6 is bent to a horseshoewith a U-formed contour as illustrated in FIG. 6. This bending isperformed in a medium-size bending machine (not shown) appropriate forthe purpose. In or in connection with the bending machine, the finishedshoe, which is designated by reference numeral 12, is provided with thenecessary nail-holes 13. The nail-holes are most advantageously obtainedby punching and are suitably placed in connection to groove 11. As maybe seen in FIG. 7, the individual nail-hole 13 widens in a way known perse from the shoe's upper side, which is designated by reference numeral14, towards the underside 15. Most advantageously, the holes are placedalong the bow-shaped line that is formed by the bottom of groove 11. Incase the shoe is also to be provided with threaded holes of the typeindicated above, this is suitably realized in connection with theworking operation at which nail-holes 13 are formed.

It is also possible to provide the finished shoe with a so called toecap (not shown). This toe cap is fastened at the front of the shoe, morespecifically on the external lamina 7 of steel, with the toe capprotruding from the upper side 14 of the shoe. The toe cap may forinstance consist of a triangularly shaped piece of plate which is weldedor riveted upon the external lamina 7.

The advantages of the invention should be evident. As required, finalblanks may be parted off from the straight, elongated blank 5, saidfinal blanks being of an arbitrary, individually adjusted length whichis suited to the final bending of shoes of most varying sizes. The thinand straight blanks 5 may be stored and transported with a minimum ofrequired space, at the same time as the blanks have low weight and maybe handled in a simple and smooth way.

FEASIBLE MODIFICATIONS OF THE INVENTION

It is evident that the invention is not restricted solely to theembodiment as described and shown in the drawings. Thus, it is possibleto compose the initial plate 4 of more than two part-plates, therebyobtaining three or more laminae of different materials in the finishedhorseshoe. Further, it is feasible to mill or form the grip-enhancinggroove not only in the final blank but already in the intermediate blankthat is parted off from the initial plate. For the sake of completeness,it should also be pointed out that the width of the finished shoe may ofcourse be varied by selecting differently thick part-sheets or -platesin the initial plate 4.

I claim:
 1. A method for the production of horseshoes from an initialblank, said initial blank being in the form of a planar plate having alength and width greater than a thickness dimension, comprising:at leasttwo partial plates of materials having a different hardness relative toeach other, said materials being joined to each other by explosionwelding, a harder material forming an external lamina and a softermaterial of said materials forming an internal lamina, wherein saidinitial blank, in a first step, is divided into a plurality ofindividual, elongate intermediate blanks, each intermediate blank ofsaid intermediate blanks having a width corresponding to the thicknessof said initial blank and a thickness less than the width of saidinitial blank, each said initial blank, in a second step, being cut intoa length corresponding to a desired shoe size to thus form several finalblanks, each final blank of said final blanks having opposed ends; andbending, in a third step, each final blank of said final blanks into aU-shaped shoe.
 2. The method according to claim 1, further including thestep of milling a grip enhancing groove in said final blank or saidintermediate blank.
 3. The method according to claim 2, wherein saidgrip enhancing groove is milled between said external lamina and saidinternal lamina.
 4. The method according to claim 3, wherein saidinternal lamina has an underside and each said lamina has a bordersurface, said grip enhancing groove being milled in said underside ofsaid internal lamina approximate said border surface of each saidlamina.
 5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said groove has alength less than a total length of said final blank, said grooveterminating in advance of said opposed ends of each final blank tothereby provide a planar surface at each opposed end.
 6. A blanksuitable for the production of horseshoes in accordance with claim 5,wherein said blank has an elongate body including a planar initial platecomposed of at least two partial plates of materials having differenthardness, said partial plates being joined to each other at an interfaceformed by explosion welding, said body having a length several timesgreater than a bow length of a horseshoe, said body having a rectangularcross-section, said width of said body corresponding to said thicknessof said initial plate, said thickness being smaller than said width. 7.A blank suitable for the production of horseshoes in accordance withclaim 2, wherein said blank has an elongate body including a planarinitial plate composed of at least two partial plates of materialshaving different hardness, said partial plates being joined to eachother at an interface formed by explosion welding, said body having alength several times greater than a bow length of a horseshoe, said bodyhaving a rectangular cross-section, said width of said bodycorresponding to said thickness of said initial plate, said thicknessbeing smaller than said width.
 8. A blank suitable for the production ofhorseshoes in accordance with claim 3, wherein said blank has anelongate body including a planar initial plate composed of at least twopartial plates of materials having different hardness, said partialplates being joined to each other at an interface formed by explosionwelding, said body having a length several times greater than a bowlength of a horseshoe, said body having a rectangular cross-section,said width of said body corresponding to said thickness of said initialplate, said thickness being smaller than said width.
 9. A blank suitablefor the production of horseshoes in accordance with claim 4, whereinsaid blank has an elongate body including a planar initial platecomposed of at least two partial plates of materials having differenthardness, said partial plates being joined to each other at an interfaceformed by explosion welding, said body having a length several timesgreater than a bow length of a horseshoe, said body having a rectangularcross-section, said width of said body corresponding to said thicknessof said initial plate, said thickness being smaller than said width. 10.A blank suitable for the production of horseshoes in accordance withclaim 5, wherein said blank has an elongate body including a planarinitial plate composed of at least two partial plates of materialshaving different hardness, said partial plates being joined to eachother at an interface formed by explosion welding, said body having alength several times greater than a bow length of a horseshoe, said bodyhaving a rectangular cross-section, said width of said bodycorresponding to said thickness of said initial plate, said thicknessbeing smaller than said width.